They shuffled out of the sanctuary, their hands clasped between them. A few had come to wish them luck and to thank them but most stood and watched as they slowly made their way out of the stone doors. It was quiet outside and they heard nothing but the crack of debris beneath their feet and the hiss of dying flames. Everything had fallen still and the city was seemingly deserted. They made their way upward; Blaine determined to make it to the north facing tower that stuck sharply out of the side of the mountain. It was the oldest building in the settlement apart from the sanctuary so Blaine was certain that was where Rudianos would be.

They walked in silence, Blaine limping slightly, the weight of being upright putting pressure on some of his wounds. He was scared, so completely and utterly terrified that he could barely think straight. He was so tired and he knew Kurt was too but he didnt want to go through this again. He didnt want to wait and heal and watch as people died and prolong the heartache, the pain, the bloodshed. They had lost too much and fought for too long. The closer they got to the tower the more they could hear the roaring. He could feel the pounding of his heart in his throat and he felt sick to his stomach. Anxiety morphed into desperation, to free his kind, to put an end to Rudianos and his tyranny.

His faster pace made Blaine wince with every step but it was worth it, to get there quicker, to end his suffering and that of everyone hes known. As soon as the reached the moss covered door they wrenched it open, taking straight to the steep, stone stairs all the way to the top. Blaine wished he had use of his wings wanting to get there faster without even thinking, without even knowing what exactly Rudianos had lying in wait for them at the top.

Eventually they reached a plain, wooden door and pushed through it. The wind whipped through open windows and Rudianos stood calmly at the centre of it all, surrounded by three shackled dragons as he held a bruised and bloodied Malik by the throat. "Oh look brother!" He exclaimed, his lip cracked and bleeding. "Blaine and his friend have come to play too!" Malik choked as Rudianos tightened his grip. "Theyre a little late though," he added his voice rising, "the funs already over." He strode to one of the high arch windows, carrying Malik there as if he weighed nothing.

Blaine took off across the vast tower room but before he could reach them Rudianos let go, watching Blaine with delighted wild eyes as he did so. Blaine lunged forward, watching in horror as Malik plummeted to the ground and Blaine was powerless. He was unable to follow; his dislocated wing would see both of them falling to their deaths. Blaine slammed his eyes shut just before Malik hit the ground. He turned away from the sight, jaw clenched to stem the flow of tears. He wanted to forget Rudianos and run to Maliks side but a glance toward Kurt told him all he needed to know. Malik was dead and no amount of healing could fix that. He thought about how he would possibly tell Gaël but then realised he might not have to. For all he knew Gaël was dead too.

"Oops?" Rudianos chuckled, watching Blaine with a grin. Blaine didnt reply, simply breathed in and out evenly, trying desperately to keep himself calm. A single wrong move couldve gotten both of them killed and doomed countless others. "Im not going to pretend Im surprised youre still alive Taliesin but I certainly am disappointed." Blaine remained silent, circling back to look at the dragons, shuffling agitated in their bindings. Something told him Kurt had already laid his hands on the chains imprisoning them and despite having little hope theyd both make it out alive he smiled secretively, hand inching down to the handle of a sword heavy at his side.